Official: FBI knew for weeks about newly discovered emails

[webfact]

Official: FBI knew for weeks about newly discovered emails

By ERIC TUCKER

 

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI investigators in the Anthony Weiner sexting probe knew for weeks about the existence of newly discovered emails potentially related to the investigation of Hillary Clinton's private email server, a law enforcement official said Sunday.

 

In his letter that roiled the White House race, FBI Director James Comey said he was briefed last Thursday about that development. He told Congress on Friday that the bureau had found emails in an unrelated case that might be relevant to the Clinton inquiry.

 

The emails were found on a device that belonged to Weiner, the estranged husband of close Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

 

A second law enforcement official also said the FBI was aware for a period of time about the emails before Comey was briefed, but wasn't more specific.

 

The officials were not authorized to discuss the matter by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

The timing of Comey's letter just 11 days before Election Day drew criticism from Democrats and some Republicans who cast it as unprecedented and potentially tipping the scales in the presidential race in favor of Republican Donald Trump.

 

Energized by the news, the GOP presidential nominee has rallied his supporters, calling the latest developments worse than Watergate and arguing that his candidacy has the momentum in the final days of the race.

 

"We never thought we were going to say 'thank you' to Anthony Weiner," Trump said in Nevada.

 

Trump also highlighted reports that the Justice Department had discouraged the FBI from alerting Congress to the unexpected discovery of the emails, and said the department is trying "so hard" to protect Clinton.

 

Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of State has dogged her campaign since early last year. In July, Comey recommended against criminal prosecution after a months-long investigation, but rebuked Clinton and her aides for being careless with classified material.

 

Justice Department officials who were advised of the FBI's intention to notify Congress about the discovery expressed concern that the action would be inconsistent with department protocols designed to avoid the appearance of interference in an election.

 

In an apparent departure from the wishes of top Justice Department leaders, Comey acted independently when he sent several members of Congress a letter about the emails on Friday, according to the official, who was not authorized to discuss internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.

 

The move creates the potential for a divide between the Justice Department and Comey, who has served in government under both Democratic and Republican presidents.

 

It was not immediately clear what the emails were about or what significance, if any, they carried to the email investigation. Nor was it clear when agents would complete the process of reviewing the recovered emails, and Comey made no guarantees that would happen before Election Day.

 

The newly discovered emails were on a device seized during a sexting investigation of disgraced former New York Democratic Rep. Weiner.

 

A person familiar with the investigation, who lacked authority to discuss the matter publicly and insisted on anonymity, said the device that appears to be at the center of the new review was a computer that belonged only to Weiner and was not one he shared with Abedin.

 

As a result, it was not a device searched for work-related emails at the time of the initial investigation. The person said it is "news to (Abedin)" that her emails would be on a computer belonging to her husband.

 

Abedin told lawyers in June in a deposition that, like millions of internet users who don't manage their inboxes, she never deleted old emails on her devices, either at work with Clinton or at home with Weiner.

 

"I didn't have a practice of managing my mailbox other than leaving what was in there sitting in there," Abedin said. "I didn't go into my emails and delete State.gov emails. They just lived on my computer. That was my practice for all my email accounts. I didn't have a particular form of organizing them. I had a few folders, but they were not deleted. They all stayed in whatever device I was using at the time or whatever desktop I was on at the time."

 

In February 2013, Abedin signed a routine State Department document under penalty of perjury in which she promised to "turn over all classified or administratively controlled documents and materials" before she left her government job, and promised that she was not retaining copies, "including any diaries, memorandums of conversation or other documents of a personal nature."

 

Abedin and Weiner separated this year after Weiner was caught in 2011, 2013 and again this year sending numerous woman sexually explicit text messages and photographs of himself undressed. Federal authorities in New York and North Carolina are investigating online communications between Weiner and a 15-year-old girl.

 

-- © Associated Press 2016-10-31

[Ulysses G.]

The FBI agents that reviewed this material must know what is on it and think it is significant. Hopefully the smoking gun that convicts Hillary will be discovered when the rest of the material is reviewed.

[keemapoot]

The good thing is that we should know one way or the other soon. And, the only consequence will be that the Senate majority may be retained by the GOP or lost.  That is a huge consequence, but there is little danger Trump will be elected from this.

 

Nobody knows now, so we're all just speculating. It will be fun to see what's really in the emails and whether Comey is a J. Edgar wannabe chump or a democracy-saving hero.

[kennw]

Come on you Americans  where are all the conspiracy theories ?

[dcutman]

2 hours ago, keemapoot said:

but there is little danger Trump will be elected from this.

Really, do you think G Johnson or Jill Stien will be the next POTUS?

Or is it that you think people want to elect a criminal that will be arrested shortly after the election to have her chump VP become Pres.?

[keemapoot]

5 minutes ago, dcutman said:

Really, do you think G Johnson or Jill Stien will be the next POTUS?

Or is it that you think people want to elect a criminal that will be arrested shortly after the election to have her chump VP become Pres.?

 

Actually...yes. I think if there is actual fire here, not just smoke, there is surely not enough time to convene a grand jury, and have that grand jury return an indictment, AND, thereupon have a trial on the merits and criminal conviction.  THEREFORE, most likely Clinton will be elected POTUS. Assuming she is thereupon convicted, or even before then, Tim Kaine will ascend to the Presidency. That will still be the will of the people more so than Trump, the most unfit, dangerous man ever to be allowed to be near to this position. It's not optimal for anyone, but that may be the eventual outcome.

Edited October 31, 2016 by keemapoot
spelling

[dcutman]

55 minutes ago, keemapoot said:

 

Actually...yes. I think if there is actual fire here, not just smoke, there is surely not enough time to convene a grand jury, and have that grand jury return an indictment, AND, thereupon have a trial on the merits and criminal conviction.  THEREFORE, most likely Clinton will be elected POTUS. Assuming she is thereupon convicted, or even before then, Tim Kaine will ascend to the Presidency. That will still be the will of the people more so than Trump, the most unfit, dangerous man ever to be allowed to be near to this position. It's not optimal for anyone, but that may be the eventual outcome.

I would have to disagree, I think there is enough time to get enough detail out that the American people typically do not go with a sure looser. I may be wrong, but I have a feeling the Clinton Crime Family past will be resurrected in the media to give a good historical reminder how evil these people are. Coupled with the most recent developments people are not going to vote for a criminal or have love for a 4 decade long criminal enterprise.

[user82374298374]

Hillary wants war with

2 hours ago, keemapoot said:

 

Trump, the most unfit, dangerous man ever to be allowed to be near to this position

 

Hillary Clinton is pushing towards war with nuclear-armed Russia - and over issues which do not directly affect the national security of the United States by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Trump wants to de-escalate and negotiate with Russia.

 

Who's unfit and dangerous, again?

[Boon Mee]

2 hours ago, kennw said:

Come on you Americans  where are all the conspiracy theories ?

No conspiracy theories but more grist for the mill here:  https://twitter.com/WDFx2EU7

[hdkane]

Democrats (ordinary citizens) practice identity politics much more than Republicans.  In the past, they have elected and defended members of the KKK, individuals in the throes of dimentia, and perverts to high office.  Republicans do this as well, but not nearly to the extent that Dems do...this is obvious by the splintering of the Rep party in the present election...also, at a time when Trump's boorish past behavior as a private citizen is gaining attention, Clinton shines...even though she was in charge of the "nuts and sluts" (her joking words) while she was first lady (btw Bill Clinton paid out nearly 1 million to a rape victim, on the condition that he need not admit guilt)...therefore, there is absolutely no information that would be so damning as to deprive Clinton of the presidency...Dems simply don't care, as long as they get what they want...

[thaihome]

5 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

The FBI agents that reviewed this material must know what is on it and think it is significant. Hopefully the smoking gun that convicts Hillary will be discovered when the rest of the material is reviewed.

There has been no review of the emails,  a search warrant allowing a review of emails not belonging to Weiner was just issued on Sunday. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/31/us/politics/justice-department-warrant-clinton-abedin-fbi.html

Rspect or belief  in due process has never been your strong suit.  

TH 

[Ulysses G.]

FBI agents have already reviewed some material when pursuing the case against Anthony Weiner. How do you think they knew the other stuff was on the computer. Use some common sense. 

[Thakkar]

3 hours ago, kennw said:

Come on you Americans  where are all the conspiracy theories ?

 

C'mon, Weekly News. That is sooo dum. She's not just having an affaire with an alien, she *is* an alien. And she's got mysterious aliens powers. How else do you think this evil murdering corrup crooked crook has never even seen the inside of a courtroom after 30 years of relentless probes* and investigations by every agency in the country? Does it make sense now, you tree-hugging, baby seal-protecting brainwashed liberals? Of course it does! Do the research, sheeple!

 

*Haha...I said "probe" ...we all know she's the one with the dick and does all the probing when she's hookin' up with her fellow aliens.

 

Edited October 31, 2016 by Thakkar

[Pinot]

6 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

The FBI agents that reviewed this material must know what is on it and think it is significant. Hopefully the smoking gun that convicts Hillary will be discovered when the rest of the material is reviewed.

 

Fox News Wingnut Judge Jeanine Pirro: "One of the most revered agencies in our nation's history--now seen as putting its finger on the scales of justice--should not now be front and center," Pirro said, "You know I support Donald Trump and want him to win, but whether it's Hillary Clinton or anyone else, Comey's actions violate not only longstanding Justice Department policy...but the most fundamental rules of fairness and impartiality."

 

This was such a bad move by Comey even this completely biased Fox talking head is speaks the truth. 

 

All these wingnut comments based on absolutely nothing are so consistent with how the wingnuts see justice. Conservative empathy is only and always limited to what affects or affected them directly. A golden rule that never fails.

 

I'm afraid it's all for naught because this is a well documented unbelievably stupid move with NOTHING BEHIND IT EXCEPT A BLATANT ATTEMPT TO INFLUENCE THE ELECTION. 

 

Sorry boys, this will not affect anyone's vote. The bullshit was dead on arrival. Think this will influence the election? Let me have Steven Tyler explain it to you

 

 

 

[Pinot]

1 hour ago, Ulysses G. said:

FBI agents have already reviewed some material when pursuing the case against Anthony Weiner. How do you think they knew the other stuff was on the computer. Use some common sense. 

 

I love that you're telling others to use common sense. 

 

Hillary Clinton should be indicted, but you're okay with Trump's:

Insurance fraud;
Tax evasion using his 'Foundation' to pay for personal items and business expenses;
Bribing an the Attorney General of Florida;
Making illegal campaign donations (the bribe) from his Foundation to same Attorney General;
Failure to release his tax returns to confirm his income and philanthropy;
Admission that he assaults women on a regular basis;
Alleged business acumen leading to numerous bankruptcies;
Patently racist comments;
Trump University scam;
Thin skin;
3rd grade vocabulary.

 

Carry on. 

[thaihome]

1 hour ago, Ulysses G. said:

FBI agents have already reviewed some material when pursuing the case against Anthony Weiner. How do you think they knew the other stuff was on the computer. Use some common sense. 

 

Has nothing to do with common sense. It's about legal investigation.  So you think the FBI agents exceeded the scope of the original search warrant in looking at Weiner's laptop and read Abedin's emails? ?  Again, you seem to have little regard for due process.

 

From what I have read, it seems there are several hundred thousand emails on Weiner's laptop. The FBI agents while reviewing them likely  saw his wife's .gov email address and realized they needed another search warrant to look at them.

 

Any evidence they see before having that search warrant would likely be ruled inadmissible in a case against either Abedin or Hillary. So I doubt the FBI has looked at any of the contents of Abedin's emails that might be on Weiner's laptop. Which is why Comey's letter to Congress on Friday explicitly said they don't know yet what the new potential evidence contains.

TH

 

 

 

[atyclb]

46 minutes ago, Pinot said:

 

I love that you're telling others to use common sense. 

 

Hillary Clinton should be indicted, but you're okay with Trump's:

Insurance fraud;
Tax evasion using his 'Foundation' to pay for personal items and business expenses;
Bribing an the Attorney General of Florida;
Making illegal campaign donations (the bribe) from his Foundation to same Attorney General;
Failure to release his tax returns to confirm his income and philanthropy;
Admission that he assaults women on a regular basis;
Alleged business acumen leading to numerous bankruptcies;
Patently racist comments;
Trump University scam;
Thin skin;
3rd grade vocabulary.

 

Carry on. 

 

 

an extremely sad day for america when the likes of trump is a better candidate then hillary clinton.

[jcsmith]

7 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

The FBI agents that reviewed this material must know what is on it and think it is significant. Hopefully the smoking gun that convicts Hillary will be discovered when the rest of the material is reviewed.

That doesn't seem to be the case. In fact he seems to have been warned not to release the information by the Department of Justice which was ignored. There is no evidence at this point to suggest it is anything more the same things they have already seen. But there is new evidence which will need to be looked at. 

[Grubster]

9 hours ago, keemapoot said:

The good thing is that we should know one way or the other soon. And, the only consequence will be that the Senate majority may be retained by the GOP or lost.  That is a huge consequence, but there is little danger Trump will be elected from this.

 

Nobody knows now, so we're all just speculating. It will be fun to see what's really in the emails and whether Comey is a J. Edgar wannabe chump or a democracy-saving hero.

I don't think anybody is a Jay Edgar Hoover wannabe. I think there must be something significant or Comey is a total idiot. I also think the amount of closet Trump supporters could be really big.

[dunroaming]

I think maybe the FBI have miss-timed this.  To announce this more than seven days before the election allows Clinton time to respond and dilute the impact, especially if the FBI cannot produce something incriminating before the vote.  Of course they may have the bomb ready and primed and they will drop it at the weekend.  We will see!

[Chicog]

9 hours ago, dcutman said:

Really, do you think G Johnson or Jill Stien will be the next POTUS?

Or is it that you think people want to elect a criminal that will be arrested shortly after the election to have her chump VP become Pres.?

 

Meanwhile, Trump will be being bussed from his underage rape trial to his Trump U fraud trial.

You couldn't make it up.

 

[keemapoot]

7 hours ago, disambiguated said:

Hillary wants war with

 

Hillary Clinton is pushing towards war with nuclear-armed Russia - and over issues which do not directly affect the national security of the United States by any stretch of the imagination.

 

Trump wants to de-escalate and negotiate with Russia.

 

Who's unfit and dangerous, again?

 

Who's dangerous and unfit?  The one who doesn't know jacksh!t about anything he should know to be President, and the one who has no more than a cursory interest in learning.

[keemapoot]

2 hours ago, Grubster said:

I don't think anybody is a Jay Edgar Hoover wannabe. I think there must be something significant or Comey is a total idiot. I also think the amount of closet Trump supporters could be really big.

 

Yes, this is a sensible response from everything we know of Comey's steady history, the part about being a mini J Edgar. However, the other part can simply be doing his lifelong pledged duty as a Republican when called upon to serve.  That may have compelled him to fall on his sword, but there is likely a pretty nurse, surgeon, and airlift to the best hospital ready.

[Asiantravel]

13 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

The FBI agents that reviewed this material must know what is on it and think it is significant. Hopefully the smoking gun that convicts Hillary will be discovered when the rest of the material is reviewed.

 

this is one of the most interesting Twitter feeds I have read all day don't you think?

 

" Little did Obama/HRC realize that an auto-sync feature between Huma & Weiner inadvertently saved the deleted emails on Weiner's machine "

 

 

https://twitter.com/hectormorenco

[Asiantravel]

6 hours ago, Pinot said:

 

I love that you're telling others to use common sense. 

 

Hillary Clinton should be indicted, but you're okay with Trump's:

Insurance fraud;
Tax evasion using his 'Foundation' to pay for personal items and business expenses;
Bribing an the Attorney General of Florida;
Making illegal campaign donations (the bribe) from his Foundation to same Attorney General;
Failure to release his tax returns to confirm his income and philanthropy;
Admission that he assaults women on a regular basis;
Alleged business acumen leading to numerous bankruptcies;
Patently racist comments;
Trump University scam;
Thin skin;
3rd grade vocabulary.

 

Carry on. 

 

yeah but no nuclear war and I think that trumps your entire list

[Rob13]

 

Could be the both of them-HRC and Donald-spend the next 4 years either locked up or in court.

[Asiantravel]

Huma Abedin: "I Have No Idea How The Emails Got On Weiner's Computer"

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/huma-abedin-emails-clinton-weiner-comey-230512

[Chicog]

I did read today that Clinton has transferred 1.8 BILLION dollars to Qatar and they are emptying a palace for her.

 

I mean it could be true....

 

[Grubster]

1 hour ago, Asiantravel said:

 

this is one of the most interesting Twitter feeds I have read all day don't you think?

 

" Little did Obama/HRC realize that an auto-sync feature between Huma & Weiner inadvertently saved the deleted emails on Weiner's machine "

 

 

https://twitter.com/hectormorenco

Yes and if any were classified and she deleted them, then she destroyed or covered up evidence.

[Ulysses G.]

4 minutes ago, Grubster said:

Yes and if any were classified and she deleted them, then she destroyed or covered up evidence.

 

Would not be the first time.